um ba ba be.

If you've known me for more than 2 minutes, you're probably aware that this is one of my favorite, favorite songs. So much my favorite that my sweet husband (and friends) learned and performed it (wonderfully) last summer. It basically made my 2010.

Today, however, it's a different kind of pressure. I'm sick. Thumbs down. Sinuses + Throat = Ouch.
I'm writing this from my bed, where I've been since about 5:45 and am likely to remain until
6:30 tomorrow morning.

What kind of nerd gets a cold in July?!
First day without Coke/Cherry Coke, too. Perhaps this is God's way of telling me something...?

Anyway. This song is appropriate for so many occasions! 

The only cure for a nasty cold is some Queen/Bowie. Shwew.

What's your favorite cheer-me-up song?

Mad [wo]Men.

Although I was never patient enough to become enchanted by its storyline, I loved watching AMC's wildly popular Mad Men. For the fashion. It's out on Netflix Watch Instantly starting today, so I might add it to our queue and give it another try. For the fashion.

Sometimes I think I would've been right at home in the '60s. I would have loved to wear - either of 

these dresses or any of these - to work the grocery store every day. With "stockings" and heels, of course.

I recently picked up a dress that kind of fits this theme (and partially inspired this post).

All day at work, I felt as though I should be using a typewriter instead of a PC. I even kept the dress on long enough to cook dinner in it - just to see what it felt like. (Fun, by the way.)

If I were on Mad Men, my baby would wear something like this.

I would dry her diapers like this.

And I'd always have this ready for my drop-in guests... or to deliver to my husband after he mowed the lawn.

In real [Mad Men] life: 

• The lemonade probably wouldn't be pink. I mean, let's not get crazy!
• The baby would have some giant bow in her giant sausage-curled pigtails.
• I'd be way too concerned about what my snooty neighbors* think to actually lay the diapers out like that. Face it, they would also be on a real clothesline, making them smell like happiness.
• My husband wouldn't have the patience to take 17 photos of me before I settled on one that didn't make me look like I was (a) 10 years old and/or (b) having a laugh attack.

 So maybe I'm not cut out for life in the '60s after all. Which "era" would you choose for yourself?

*The snooty neighbors are real. Everything else referenced in this entry is based on my best guess.

Just Swimmingly.

This adorable suit was given to us by my sister-from-another-mister....'s grandma. 

(Without the ellipsis, it looks like she is my sister from another man's grandma, and that's weird.)

Anyway.

She gave this to us when our little monkey was just born. 

At the time, it seemed like it would be forever before she wore it. 

Now, she's 6 months old and fitting into a 9-month suit.

It was a 2-man operation getting her into it...

Like stuffing a VHS into a DVD player.

But it sure looks cute, right?

All ready to jump in with Daddy.

High five, Funcle! 

(funcle = faux+uncle. I'm hoping to make that catch on. It would be totally rufus.)

The water was cold, so she dipped in a little at a time. 

(Apparently I didn't get any actual photos of the swimming - just videos.)

E absolutely loved it. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms like an ol' pro.

We also enjoyed our time with E's buddy, our godbaby.

It started off as a hug...

And the girls did a mini fashion show:

Ever so stylish.

Shout out to Tom Cruise (a la Top Gun).

In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by her trade.

I am leaving. I am leaving.
But the fighter still remains.

Want It Wednesday.

(Inspired by Kari.)


1. I would wear the heck out of this.

 2. I'd love to have these in several colors, but if I had to choose just one pair, I'd pick these:

 3. This song - on a CD twenty times so as not to wear out my rewind button.

3. The ability to not be obsessed with item 3. 

4. This. In a petite frame to put on my desk.

Cake Fail.

One day, I was really craving red velvet cake.

So I made some.

It was a giant sheet rather than the three-level kind.

It looked boring...

But it tasted great.

So great, that this is what remained when R went upstairs for a few minutes.

I finished my piece (right) and ate 1/2 of his (left).

Given the success of this cake, my dear friend asked me to make another one - so she could take it to a birthday party. 

My goal: do-it-up style. 

The plan: Make four miniature three-level cakes.

Oh, it was going to be epic.

...

It was epic, all right. 

This is what you get when you try to go all Cake Boss on your project.

I tried to flip it onto the table so I could cut the circles out. 

 The edges came out fine, but the middle...stuck.

(One more reason I despise (despise) AirBake pans. Haven't yet found one thing they're good for.)

Thankfully, the frosting I made was fine. 

New cake was done by 11 pm. 

And what the wrecked cake lacked in beauty, it made up for in taste.

(We may or may not have eaten it out of a tupperware. With a spoon.)

Six Months Old

Two hundred sixty-two thousand, eight hundred minutes.

Why don't they write a song about that?
Six. Whole. Months.
Yikes.

The Grinch is no match for our sitter upper!

Practicing her UFC with...the arm bar.
(Teeth are starting.)

Hmmm?

Hanging out with her buddy, Wyatt. 

(Her dress was covered in drool.)

Giant Baybay.

Rahr!

Fourth of July/Grandma & Grandpa

Happy brithday, America!

 

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. 

Babers was not sure about Grandpa's beard.

One of her favorite things was having Grandpa swing her up and down. 

Weee!